Communications and News

December 05, 2016

It’s a commonly heard story in Louisiana these days. Like so many others, Lee's Landing United Methodist Church in Ponchatoula flooded in March of 2016. While struggling to recover from the first event, the Baton Rouge District church was inundated a second time during the historic flooding this past August. “We are slowly, but surely, rebuilding and getting everything back in ...

December 05, 2016

The floods of 2016 may have disappeared from news headlines, but communities all across Louisiana continue to rebuild. The United Methodist Church has continued to respond and has uniquely positioned itself to help flood survivors from Monroe to Baton Rouge, Denham Springs to Lafayette and anywhere the church is called to help. "The United Methodist Church is known to be the last ones...

November 29, 2016

With a smile as large as the room, Michelle Willis proudly introduces herself as a musician from Zachary, Louisiana whose goal is to "make a positive difference in the world through music". The singer/songwriter visited the offices of the Louisiana Annual Conference to share just how true that statement is as she presented Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey a check for over $1,000. The ...

November 21, 2016

As we look ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey reflects on the tremendous generosity from Methodists all across the connection following the 2016 floods. Thanksgiving from Louisiana Annual Conference on Vimeo.

November 21, 2016

Shortly after ten o’clock Sunday night, Rev. Brian Ridgedell received a knock on both the front and rear door of the David Haas Memorial United Methodist Church parsonage. “Neighbors from across the street were knocking on the back door,” he said, “And one of the church members who happened to be driving by was knocking on the front door.” As he rushed out, he quickly saw why they ...

November 14, 2016

Louisiana United Methodist choirs, praise bands, worship ensemble groups, including liturgical dance teams, and individual musicians may now audition for an invitation to share their worship gifts at the 2017 Louisiana Annual Conference, which meets in Shreveport, Louisiana, from June 7-10, 2017. “There is such a rich diversity of gifts across our Annual Conference, many of which we ...

November 09, 2016

The months leading up to this election have been long and the words have been ugly. But today, the sun rose and the God of yesterday is God today and tomorrow and the many tomorrows to come. Some awoke today happy, some sad and some confused but God is still God. There has never been a more important time for God's people to be in concert as a nation and as people of faith. We must ...

November 08, 2016

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. One of the best ways to get involved is in your own ...

October 16, 2016

Finding yourself in the epicenter of catastrophic flooding can keep a church busy. It also provides incredible opportunities to serve as the “hands and feet” of Christ, said the Rev. Jaqueline King, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Denham Springs. “Our facilities were the only structures that did not flood in the entire antique district,” said King, adding that close to 90 ...

September 30, 2016

UMCOR Sager Brown Depot is nestled in the heart of “Cajun Country.” The international depot, located southeast of Lafayette, Louisiana in Baldwin, serves as a ministry of The United Methodist Church and a key distribution site for relief items such as cleaning buckets, health kits and other supplies that are critical in the wake of disasters. Sager Brown got its start in 1867 when it ...

September 26, 2016

Taylor Swift continues to help the residents of Louisiana. The singer, songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee has made a generous donation to the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church to help with recovery and rebuild after last month’s historic flood. "We are delighted to receive this gift from Taylor Swift to aid our flood relief efforts. Taylor is a wonderful ...

September 22, 2016

The students of the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso know what it means to face challenges—and to overcome them. Students of the school, a majority of whom live in Juarez, Mexico, leave their homes on week days as early as 4 a.m. to travel to “La Lydia,” as the school is affectionately known. They cross the bridge at the Mexico/United States border, and when they arrive at the ...

September 13, 2016

Three family Bibles were found in Stephanie Hope's flooded home in Louisiana. Of all that I lost in the great flood of 2016 — pictures, recipes in my grandmother's handwriting, antique furniture I grew up with, vehicles, every wall and every floor, every single thing that was touched by seven feet of water in our home — I was struck by these three Bibles. Our wedding Bible: It is the...

September 13, 2016

The United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana has selected four young Louisiana pastors to sponsor for the Advanced Pastoral Leadership program, a five-year training course designed to assist emerging clergy leaders in developing their potential for fruitful leadership. Participants for APL were selected from among those who are ordained in the United Methodist Church, serving in the ...

September 13, 2016

Melissa Enis, youth director for Grace Community United Methodist in Shreveport, could hardly believe her eyes when she saw images of the historic flooding in South Louisiana. “I had just sold my house in Central to move up to Shreveport. When I saw pictures of my old street sign, it was barely visible,” said Enis, who had recently served as youth director for Blackwater UMC in the ...

September 07, 2016

On Labor Day weekend, volunteers from First United Methodist Church in Covington and Hartzell Mt. Zion UMC in Slidell worked alongside their sister church, Mt. Zion UMC in Clinton, to gut and clean the flooded church. Mt. Zion’s sanctuary and Fellowship Hall were hard hit by August floods that devastated South Louisiana. Volunteers moved damaged pews to get to the sanctuary carpet, ...

September 06, 2016

In the New Testament, Hebrews 6:19 reads, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” That is why many of the cleaning buckets recently assembled for flood survivors by the youth of the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home in Ruston bear the image of an anchor, said Becca Deich, pastoral care assistant at the home. The connection between these youth and the tens of...

August 31, 2016

Louisiana Early Response teams are “on the ground” across South Louisiana bringing personnel, equipment and supplies to areas affected by recent catastrophic flooding. “Trained volunteers are needed immediately for early response efforts,” said Rev. Bob Deich, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Ruston and coordinator of Early Response Teams for the Louisiana Conference. “Tasks ...

August 31, 2016

Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge knows what it means to fulfill the Louisiana Conference’s “vision and preferred future” by “engaging in local communities in significant ways.” Especially if the phrase goes on to read, “in significant and highly unique ways.” As of Wednesday of last week, grades 5-12 of Runnels School have been holding classes on Broadmoor UMC’s campus. ...

August 29, 2016

On this, the 11th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I am reminded once again of the resilience of the people of Louisiana. For many, these past two weeks have felt like a repeat of Katrina – the water, the mud, the smell, the traffic! We are also reminded of the love of neighbor helping neighbor, stranger reaching out to stranger. These events, as awful as they are, seem to bring out...

August 29, 2016

Early in the morning on the Friday of the recent “big rain,” David Tidwell, community resource consultant for Cokesbury, was passing Deerford United Methodist Church in Zachary, La. Moments later, the Rev. Susie Thomas, pastor of the small rural church, received a call from Tidwell. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but I just passed Deerford, and it looks like water is coming up behind the...

August 28, 2016

“Pray for each other, its important.” The Rev. Tom Howe, pastor of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, ends every written and spoken message with this request. Although the need for prayer is always there, Rev. Howe and the members of his suburban church feel that need even more deeply in the wake of recent historic flooding that devastated South Louisiana. St. Andrew’...

August 26, 2016

Frequently, smaller churches feel that they are limited in what they can do to help people in need—like the thousands of folks whose lives have been deeply impacted by recent historic floods in South Louisiana. That is not the case with Mer Rouge United Methodist Church in rural North Louisiana, according to the church’s pastor, the Rev. JoAnne Pounds. “Who could believe that a ...

August 26, 2016

It was Aug. 6, and although the weather forecast seemed dismal with a 60% chance of rain, Methodists from all six United Methodist churches located between Franklin and Jeanerette came together for their first annual “Back to School Bash.” Fortunately, the rain held off for this day of worship, family fun and food sponsored by Asbury, McGowan, St. Paul, St. Peter and Trinity UMCs, ...

August 26, 2016

Whether you speak to the church secretary, a youth volunteer or the senior pastor, the reaction is all the same, “We just love Ryan!” It comes as no surprise Ryan Precourt would be hanging around Jefferson United Methodist Church. As Reverend Michi Head quickly points out, “He’s here every Sunday and he absolutely makes his presence known. After every song, he’s never afraid to ...

August 24, 2016

Below is a reflection from Rev. Jay Hogewood, pastor of St. John's United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, LA. He shares an honest reflection of what it's like to pastor in the midst of the disaster in south Louisiana. Saturday, hot as all get out, 2pm. Ready to shift from receiving and sheltering evacuees to moving them to longer, more stable housing - hotels, rental ...

August 23, 2016

When the flood waters began to rise in his Watson home just over a week ago, Justin Hutchinson, a member of First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, realized he was in trouble and that he needed to evacuate his home. His plan was to drive to safety in his car, but the water was rising so fast, Justin knew that the vehicle wouldn’t make it and that he would have to escape on foot ...

August 21, 2016

“Alright, resurrection people. We’re getting ready to worship God in a funeral home,” said the Rev. Ginny Allen, pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge. Members of the suburban Baton Rouge church were gathered Sunday morning in the chapel of the city’s Rabenhorst East Funeral Home because St. Luke’s sanctuary took on 28 inches of water during historic floods that ...

August 21, 2016

When you read the numbers, your eyes literally do a double take. There are 137,000 residents in Livingston Parish and over 105,000 of those residents lost their homes. The devastation in the parish just east of Baton Rouge is unfathomable. "I don't think I've fully comprehended it. said an emotional Rev. Jackie King. "I've seen people arrive here to the church and say, 'I just spent ...

August 20, 2016

It is Saturday, August 20th and it is raining...again. It was about this time last week when the rain just wouldn't quit. “Rain, rain, go away, come back another day.” But it was not to be. In two days, we received 6,000,000,000,000 gallons of water– yes, SIX. TRILLION. GALLONS of water; enough to fill 6,000,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. There has been little “normal.” School ...

August 19, 2016

Debra T. Davis, Ph.D., is serving the Louisiana Conference as the new Disaster Response Director. In this critical role, Davis is responsible for coordination of the overall response to the spring floods and the August 2016 floods that devastated Louisiana. Davis will develop a structure within the conference for responding to disasters, building a model for this event that can be ...

August 18, 2016

The images tell the story. Louisiana is devastated . . . but hope remains. See this brief video which shows dramatic images that tell the story of the impact of recent flooding, rescue efforts and the tremendous need that exists! Please consider giving to the disaster relief efforts in Louisiana!

August 15, 2016

The flooding in south Louisiana continues as residents in Ascension Parish are now experiencing similar backwater flooding that residents in Livingston and East Baton Rouge Parish experienced Sunday. Thousands of rescue operations are ongoing and our prayers remain for those stranded and for those involved in rescue operations. Many of you are exploring ways to help. The most ...

August 13, 2016

Greetings church. My prayers continue for the ravaged areas of south Louisiana as we deal with historic flooding and what is sure to be a long-term recovery. While the storm is thankfully weakening in Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Lake Charles are now bracing for flash flood advisories. For everyone in the affected areas, stay alert to advisories, check on your neighbors and pray ...

August 13, 2016

With historic flooding in south Louisiana, some churches will not be able to gather for worship. Facebook LIVE is a great option to gather as a community and pray, albeit electronically. Prior to deploying a Facebook LIVE, there are some key things to remember. The Louisiana Annual Conference Office of Communication Strategy wanted to share some tips. 1. Start publicizing the event ...

August 12, 2016

Historic flooding has ravaged south Louisiana. The rain began late Thursday and refused to let up, dumping over 12 inches in as little as 8 hours. In some locations, rain totals exceeded 15 inches and was tropical in nature as it stalled out over the greater Baton Rouge area. In fact, local forecasters quickly pointed out; had this system been over open water, it would have likely ...

August 09, 2016

Over the next few weeks, we will shift into a new rhythm. Earlier wake up calls, rushed carpools, late nights of homework, high stakes testing, followed by even more homework. It's time to head back to school! As we do, I wanted to take a moment and offer prayers of support, hope and encouragement for our students, teachers, staff members and parents, all of whom play a vital role in ...

August 03, 2016

Rev. Davis Clark, pastor of Warren United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, hopes that his church’s new teddy bear ministry will meet its goal of sending the stuffed animals to each Lake Charles area hospital with a pediatric unit by the end of 2016. In addition, Warren UMC hopes to expand the ministry by serving hospitals all throughout the state by 2018. In a July 26 article in the...

July 31, 2016

Nearly 20 members of St. Francisville United Methodist Church recently gathered early in the morning on the campus of West Feliciana Parish High School. Their purpose? To engage in the community in a significant way through “Servant Saturday,” a hands-on service project held quarterly by the church. For the past five years, Servant Saturdays have included cleaning church property in ...

July 26, 2016

Residents of New Orleans’ 7th Ward recently received free line dancing classes with a well-known local instructor, “DJ Gravy,” thanks to an outreach program of The Spirit Church, a ministry of the Louisiana Annual Conference. Classes were held every Monday evening during the month of July, providing area residents the opportunity to get a great work out while gathering for fellowship ...

July 25, 2016

The call was simple; gather together and talk. It’s exactly what happened at Gretna United Methodist Church as members, pastors and police gathered to discuss the recent string of violent incidents involving police and the community. Rev. Bertrand Griffin II called it an open conversation on “how we can stand together.” One by one, concerns were expressed as members of the ...

July 23, 2016

As part of their continued effort to engage with the community and draw in people from all walks of life, New Life Community Church, the joint ministry of Luling United Methodist and First Union Presbyterian, recently hosted a “Pokémon Refreshment Break” on church grounds to invite and welcome folks from around the community who have been playing Pokémon Go, the newest game craze that ...

July 21, 2016

Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey shared a message of prayer, hope and action during an interview with John Pastorek on WBRZ-TV's 2une In program the morning of July 21. She was "thrilled to share the news of hope in Baton Rouge." Bishop Harvey stressed that although prayer is essential, the people of the Baton Rouge community must now put "legs" to those prayers and work actively for unity,...

July 21, 2016

For the second time in two weeks, more than 200 Baton Rouge residents joined nearly 40 Methodist pastors to pray for the city--and this time, to mourn the death of three law enforcement officers who were gunned down Sunday. District Superintendent Rev. Ken Irby had a previously scheduled meeting Tuesday to follow up on the Alton Sterling shooting that gripped the city during the first...

July 19, 2016

District Superintendent Rev. Ken Irby had Tuesday, July 19 on the schedule as a follow-up for Baton Rouge clergy to gather and discuss the next steps in the wake of the Alton Sterling shooting. However, in the two weeks since, the city finds itself in the midst of yet another horrific act of violence. On Sunday, Gavin Long, a former Marine from Kansas City, Missouri, walked down ...

July 17, 2016

Friends, My heart is broken yet again! There are simply no words. What does one say when people's lives have been turned upside down? We continue to cry for peace, peace in our city, our country and the world. We need healing. As I board my flight leaving Wichita and Jurisdictional Conference, I am following the news from my beloved Baton Rouge. Several police officers dead and some ...

July 17, 2016

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: While these can be turbulent times in The United Methodist Church, these are also times of emerging and fruitful ministries. Lay and clergy leaders are creating new ministries to reach new people for Jesus Christ. They remind us of the importance of our collective work to grow the number of vital congregations of The United ...

July 16, 2016

Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey is returning to the Louisiana Annual Conference. Friday evening at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference, the Episcopacy committee announced the appointments for all 10 Bishops serving the jurisdiction. “I am thrilled!” Bishop Harvey exclaimed. The Episcopal leader for the Louisiana area is pictured left at a breakfast with the conference delegation ...

July 16, 2016

The South Central Jurisdiction elected three new bishops during its quadrennial conference, which began Wednesday at the Hyatt Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Newly elected bishops and their appointments include Ruben Saenz, Jr., heading to the Great Plains Conference; James “Jimmy” Nunn, going to the Oklahoma/Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conferences; and Bob Farr, returning to the Missouri ...

July 11, 2016

One week ago on July 6, Alton Sterling, a black man, was shot to death by two white police officers in Baton Rouge, La. Led by Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, United Methodist church leaders immediately came together to collaborate on how they could quickly respond to the tragic incident with a message focusing on peace and justice. The answer was clear, and leaders organized a prayer ...